Hey, friends!
Well, we're just about to celebrate the best weekend of the year — Good Friday, Silent Saturday, and Easter Sunday! For years, I thought of Easter Sunday as the victory, and we celebrate Christ's victory over death and the grave on that day, for sure, but let's remember that Jesus trounced Satan on the Cross. "It is finished!" — Tetelestai in Greek — was the cry of Our Champion. Christ's work, His reason for putting on human flesh and bone was accomplished on Golgatha, the "place of the skull". Hallelujah! I pray this week that you meditate on the richness of this week so you're ready to party on Sunday and shout, "HE IS RISEN!"
📖Quick story: when I chose the word "relaxed" as my word for this year, I seriously didn't know what I was getting into. I had no idea how much it would stretch me! This word is challenging me to be more like Jesus… Not worried about all the things, not wrestling with control, or stressed and anxious, not spinning out over this or that. That's radical, right? Jesus' relaxed mode was revolutionary, and it can be for us, too! That's why I'm stoked about our upcoming Online Bible Study — Relaxed: Letting Go of Self-Reliance and Trusting God by Megan Fate Marshman, starting April 20th. We're going to learn how the One who was completely unworried lived with peaceful confidence and unwavering trust in God — and how we can embrace and learn to walk in that same untroubled stride with Him. So, sign up today and join us for the Relaxed OBS on April 20th! See you there!
If I could only recommend one book this month, it would be Come Close to Jesus by Lysa Terkeurst! It's a brand-new devotional that includes pre-written prayers just for us. Lysa also shares snippets of her own personal growth in prayer and scriptures to help us… especially in more challenging seasons. Grab one for yourself and several to share!
⭐Also new in the FaithGateway store:
- Jesus Listens for Moms — This beautiful new devotional from Sarah Young includes 50 prayers paired with scriptures. It also makes a great gift for moms, sisters, aunties, girlfriends, etc!
- NIV artisan Bibles — Two, new covers were beautifully designed by Kerri King. Check out the quilted-look one here and the multi-color floral one here. So lovely!
🎓If you're looking for gifts for your graduates who are just about to don caps and gowns, check out these wonderful options:
🌹Mother's Day is coming up quickly, so I invite you to read our blog Honoring Every Kind of Mom This Mother's Day.
Dwell on these verses with me today:
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from Heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and His clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of Him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." — Matthew 28:1-6a, NIV
Happy Holy Week, friends! Have a wonderful Easter celebrating the sacrificial gift Jesus gave because He loves you so much.
Grace and peace,
Laurie McClure, Editor
P.S. – During our Spring into Savings Sale, you get $10 off $45+ with code SPRING10. Woo hoo!
P.P.S. – I'm all about easy recipes for holidays, so here's a fantastic one for Easter from The Living Table by Abby Turner! Serve with bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and fresh-squeezed OJ!
FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
An easy recipe that you make the night before, and takes 30–45 minutes in the oven.
Prep: 20 min. | Cook: 45 min. | Ready In: 65 min. | Serves: 8–10
Ingredients
2 loaves French bread, cut into cubes
8 large eggs
2 cups 2% milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup blueberries
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grab your 9x13 casserole dish and grease it up.
Cut the bread into cubes until the casserole dish is about ¾ of the way full.
In a bowl, mix well eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar.
Pour the mixture over the casserole.
Top casserole with sliced strawberries and fresh blueberries.
Refrigerate overnight.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
Top with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup!
Yum!
Enjoy!
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